To: GovernmentShrinker; lady lawyer
But none of this has anything to do with Terri Schiavo, who left no instructions as to her wishes, and who is unable to clearly express her wishes now. That's where the focus needs to be -- on what constitutes legally valid evidence of a patient's choice not to continue life-sustaining treatment. And the much-belated "memory" of a husband who has both personal and financial interests in ending his brain-damaged wife's life should most certainly be found NOT to constitute such legally valid evidence, especially in the face of conflicting testimony and wishes of other close family members.Agreed, and well put, with whom do we need to share this, knowing that the ACLJ has been denied a court room presence?
8 posted on
11/05/2003 5:48:11 AM PST by
TaxRelief
To: TaxRelief
I'm not an expert on Florida law, but those who are working on this case in detail should gather very clear information, both from statutory law and Florida case law, on what currently constitutes legally valid instructions from an individual regarding how they want their medical care handled in such a situation. Then attempt to prove from the facts of Terri's case that her alleged instructions do not meet the tests. If that can't be managed, due to vagueness in the existing statutory and case law, then that fact needs to be loudly publicized, creating a groundswell of concern and pressure for change on the part of legislators and Florida voters, and promoting the position that in the (appalling) absence of such clear standard, the state must err on the side of keeping the patient alive.
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